Ani Sane, co-founder and chief business officer of TerraPay, outlines how the company is extending its digital payments infrastructure to connect banks, money transfer operators and wallets globally, driving interoperability and compliance.

Kara Kennedy, global co-head of Kinexys by JP Morgan, explains how tokenised deposits, stablecoins and institutional digital asset infrastructures are progressing from pilots into bank-grade platforms and what this means for interoperability, regulation and commercial adoption.

Jeff Parker, CEO of Paymentology, explains how issuer processing is being rebuilt for an AI-enabled, tokenised and real-time financial ecosystem as institutions redesign their technology foundations for the next decade.

SY Holdings’ AI platform uses transaction-level insights to deliver faster, fairer credit for SMEs and support Chinese firms expanding in Southeast Asia with digital finance and cross-border trade solutions.

At Hong Kong FinTech Week 2025, Standard Chartered’s Geoffrey Kendrick discussed how the financial system is entering a decisive phase as assets, payments, and markets move to blockchain. From stablecoins to tokenised funds, the bank is bridging regulated banking and decentralised finance through SC Ventures, shaping how institutions operate in the tokenisation era.

Italy’s ambassador to Singapore and Brunei Dante Brandi, trade commissioner Giorgio Calveri and Italia Fintech vice president Massimo Ruffolo outline how Italy’s fintech landscape is evolving, why Singapore and ASEAN matter for internationalisation and how the partnership aligns with SFF 2025’s technology blueprint.

JP Morgan is strengthening its global payments infrastructure to support digital platforms, fintechs and corporates as Asia’s real-time and embedded finance ecosystems accelerate. Akhil Devmurari explains how the bank is reshaping its architecture, partnerships and corridor strategy.

Shanghai Commercial Bank (Shacom) is reshaping SME banking in Hong Kong through AI, tokenisation and real-time data integration. Shacom’s Ryan Fung said the bank’s unified data ecosystem, AI-powered relationship model and digital-asset partnerships are accelerating credit approvals, improving liquidity and positioning Hong Kong as a fintech hub.

At the Singapore AI Sunset Cruise hosted by TAB Global and Huawei, senior executives from banks, regulators and technology firms examined how artificial intelligence is moving from pilots to enterprise-wide adoption, reshaping operating models, governance and human collaboration across financial institutions.

Visa’s Axel Boye-Moller explains how AI-driven fraud detection, acceptance optimisation and modular innovation are strengthening trust, resilience and growth across Asia Pacific’s digital payments landscape.

At Hong Kong FinTech Week 2025, People’s Bank of China deputy governor Lu Lei introduced the country’s “AI + Finance” framework, signalling how artificial intelligence and data governance will underpin China’s next stage of financial reform. His keynote positioned Hong Kong as both a testbed and transmission hub for policy-led financial innovation.

Ahmed Abdelaal’s leadership at Mashreq Bank has strengthened the bank’s technological innovation, international presence, financial performance and sustainability, earning him the CEO of the Year in the Middle East award.

Abdul Aziz Al Ghurair, Mashreq Bank chairman, receives the William “Bill” Seidman Lifetime Leadership Achievement Award for transformative leadership in shaping the UAE’s banking sector, advancing public service and education, and empowering generations through innovation and philanthropy.

Leading financial institutions in the Middle East and Africa were recognised at the TAB Global Middle East and Africa Awards 2025 in Dubai.

Bold leadership and record-breaking deals have redefined the global banking landscape over the past decade. The top 10 CEO-led mergers highlight how strategic vision and timing continue to drive competitiveness across North America, Europe and beyond.